Gilbert thompson



Gr. THOMPSON.

Bill P116.

N.-q.*2 35",394. Patented Dec. 14, I880.

Fig. 3.

INVENTOR- s c-gm ATTORNEY ".PSTERS. Pl lOTO-UTNOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D.C

- Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT THOMPSQN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO J.(J. LANG, OF SAME PLACE.

BILL-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,394, dated December14, 1880.

Application filed November 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GILBERT THOMPSON, of Washington city, in the countyof Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Paper-File Holders; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form -a part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved paper-file holder. Fig. 2 isalongitudinal sectional elevation taken in the plane aa; of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, showing the file-holder propersuspended in position for examining the files. Fig. 4is a plan view offileholder detached from box, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of spring-catch detached from thefile-holder.

Like letters in all the figures ot the drawings indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a sheet-metal box or case for inclosing thefile-holder, for keeping the files or papersfree from dust and frombeing injured by vermin or water, and constructed so that thefile-holder can be readily suspended in position for a convenientexamination of the files, and automatically locked in the box by meansof 'a spring-catch, to allow of the box being pitched from a window incase of a fire without injuring or losing the files from the box, aswill be hereinafter more fully explained.

A represents the box, and B the file-holder, both of sheet metal, thelatter having triangular sides, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

A sheet-metal plate formed with a springcatch, a, at one end and a hookor flange, b, at the other is attached to the bottom or under side ofthe file-holder. The spring-catch is bent around the bottom front cornerof the file-holder and extends upward for a suitable distance, and has aring, 0, or its equivalent, attached to it for pullingthe file-holderout of the box. To secure a proper working of the spring-catch astrap,d, ofsheet metal, is placed across it and attached to thefront ofthefileholder on each side of the spring-catch.

A wire holder, e, is attached transversely to the sides of the box, justup enough from the front bottom edge of the box for the springcatch toimpinge or catch against and hold the file-holder in the box, theraising of the springcatch up by the ring releasing it, so that thefile-holder can be readily pulled out of the box.

O is a spring-clamp for clamping or keeping the files closely togetheragainst the back of the file-holder; and it consists of a sheet-metalplate having a sufficient portion of it, D, bent up at a suitable anglefrom its bottom end to give the required spring, (see Figs. 2 and 3,)and attached to a wire brace, E, bent to form an arm, f, at right angleson each side of the clamp, each end of the arm terminating in a hook, g,so that, by means of flanged strips or cleats F, attached to the sidesof the fileholder, the strips being provided with perforations h atproper and equal distances apart,

' the clamp can be readily adjusted to secure the papers by placing thehooks g of the arms in the proper holes.

The clamp may be inclined and held to support the papers in thatposition, (see Fig. 3,) so that they can be more conveniently handledand examined in the file-holder, by means of a piece of string, 0', tiedtransversely to the end perforations in the flanged strips. the clampresting against the string, which will also prevent the clamp fromfalling out of the fileholder.

Flanged strips H H are attached to the front of the file-holder forholding a label which is inserted between the strips.

It will be seen by inclosin g the file-holder in a sheet-metal box orcase, in the manner described, the papers will be kept perfectly freefrom dust and from being injured by vermin, or water in case of a fire,the spring-plate on the bottom of the file-holder elevatin git enoughfrom the bottom of the box so that the water could not well reach thepapers if it should get into the box.

; Boxes thus constructed can be arranged in suspended position from thebox by pulling the spring-catch a up by the ring 0 until it clears thewire holder 0, and withdrawing the file-holder sufliciently to permit itto be tilted or swung down for the flange b to catch onto the wireholder e, (see Fig. 3,) the lower corner end of the file-holder restingagainst the box immediately below. By slipping the hooks g 9 out oftheir respective holes in the flanged strips F, and moving the clamp (3hack, the papers are ready for examination.

A file-holder constructed with mechanism requiring some manipulation tofasten it after it had been put back into the box would be, liable to beleft untasteued, as but few persons would think ofit at the time.Consequently in case of a fire, and where the box or boxes would,perhaps, be violently thrown around or out of a window on such anoccasion, the file-holders of those left unt'astened would come out ofthe boxes aml the papers thus be injured or destroyed.

An important t'eatureofthis invention is the automatic mechanism foravoiding this difiiculty, the tile holder being automatically locked orfastened by the spring-catch the inoment it is shoved into the box.

Another feature is,the tile-holder is held in a suspended position fromthe bottom edge of the box, thus facilitating the handling of thefile-holder for examining the files and permitting one box to be placedimmediately above the other.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A paper-file holder consisting of a box. A, inclosing an inner case,B, to receive and hold the files or papers, provided with a springcatchand a wire holder, 0, combined and 0 adapted with box Aand case B,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The sheet metal plate formed with a spring-catch, a, at one end and aflange, b, at the other, and attached to the bottom of case 4 5 B, andarranged to automatically fasten it in box A by means of wire holder 0,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The inner case B, having the spring-catch provided with a flange, b,arranged to suspend the case from the front edge of box or case A,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The spring-clamp O D, having arms ff, with books g g on their ends,in combination with perforated flanged strips F, attached to the sidesof case B, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this25th day of October, 1879.

GILBERT THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, W. (J. DUVALL.

